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School of Medicine 2008 Teaching Awards
April 22, 2008, Volume 54, No. 30


Robert Dunning Dripps Memorial Award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education

Glatstein

Dr. Eli Glatstein, is a professor and vice-chairman of the department of radiation oncology in the School of Medicine. With more than 40 years of experience in the field, Dr. Glatstein is an internationally recognized clinician and educator. His advice and guidance are sought by medical students and residents as well as attending physicians. He is never too busy to discuss research or patient care with his students and colleagues. Under his mentorship, more than 20 physician-trainees, fellows, and junior faculty members have advanced to chair departments of radiation oncology. Dr. Glatstein is an alumnus of the State University of Iowa and Stanford University School of Medicine. Prior to joining Penn Medicine in 1996, he was chief of the Radiation Oncology Branch of the National Cancer Institute and served as the chairman of the department of radiation oncology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. This award was established by the department of anesthesia in honor of Robert Dunning Dripps, the former chair of the department from 1943 to 1972. It recognizes excellence as an educator of residents and fellows in clinical care, research, teaching, or administration.


The Leonard Berwick Memorial Teaching Award

Berns

Dr. Jeffrey Berns is a professor of medicine and pediatrics in the School of Medicine, and currently serves as interim chief of the renal-electrolyte and hypertension division. He came to Penn in 1999, after having been on the staff of Graduate Hospital for the previous 10 years. He earned his BA from Indiana University and MD from Case Western Reserve University; his Renal Fellowship was completed at Yale University. In addition to teaching clinical nephrology to students, residents, and fellows, Dr. Berns has taught medical students in the Module II Renal Course since coming to Penn and has been course director since 2003. A colleague praises his “ability to bring basic science alive, from the laboratory bench and classroom blackboard to the bedside of patients and hallways of our medical services.” Another colleague comments that Dr. Berns is “a consummate educator—rigorous, knowledgeable, supportive of students, crystal clear in his communication.” A former student praises his “emphasis on understanding underlying mechanisms.” Another says Dr. Berns “embodies a unique combination of talents as a great clinician and educator.” The Leonard Berwick Award, established as a memorial, recognizes “a member of the medical faculty who in his or her teaching, effectively fuses basic science and clinical medicine.” It is intended to recognize those who are outstanding teachers, particularly among the younger faculty.

 


Blockley-Osler Award

Foster

Dr. Jody Foster, is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, the first female chair of the department of psychiatry at Pennsylvania Hospital and the executive medical director of Penn Behavioral Health Corporate Services. Dr. Foster is also a graduate of the Wharton MBA program. The most rewarding part of her job is teaching residents and medical students  to care for the mentally ill in the community. She runs one of city’s largest Crisis Response Centers in Philadelphia and provides outreach care to many of the homeless population. The Blockley-Osler Award is given to a member of the faculty at an affiliated hospital for excellence in teaching modern clinical medicine at the bedside in the tradition of Dr. William Osler and others who taught at Philadelphia General Hospital.

 

 


Dean’s Award for Excellence in Basic Science Teaching

Bilker

Dr. Warren B. Bilker is a professor of biostatistics in the department of biostatistics and epidemiology and the department of psychiatry. He came to Penn in 1992, prior to the initiation of the graduate program in biostatistics, and was involved in many facets of the development and implementation of the new PhD and MS degrees in biostatistics. Dr. Bilker taught the Introductory biostatistics course in the Masters of Clinical Epidemiology (MSCE) training program from 1993 through 2006, excluding 2004—a sabbatical year. Multiple graduate programs added this highly successful course to their required courses and students in the class included faculty from throughout the School of Medicine, other schools at Penn, other local universities, and local industry. In 2006, after the class size grew to over 60 students, it was replaced by four more specialized courses to accommodate the various graduate programs requiring the course. These new courses continue to be founded on Dr. Bilker’s course model. He is associate director for Biostatistics Educational Programs in the Clinical Sciences and he currently teaches a course in statistical computing for third-year biostatistics doctoral students. Dr. Bilker has served as the biostatistics advisor for the thesis work for over 25 MSCE students in epidemiology. Dr. Bilker’s clinical research focuses on neuropsychiatry, brain imaging, schizophrenia, pharmacoepidemiology, and infectious diseases. His primary methodological research interests are in the areas of pharmacoepidemiology, survival analysis, psychiatric methods, and correlated data. Dr. Bilker is the principal investigator of the Biostatistics Core of the Schizophrenia Center in the department of psychiatry. This award was established to recognize teaching excellence and commitment to medical education in the basic sciences. The recipients are selected on the advice of a committee composed of faculty and students. 

 


Dean’s Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching at an Affiliated Hospital

Meyers

Dr. Kevin Meyers is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Penn and assistant division chief and attending physician in the division of nephrology at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). He is director of the Nephrology Fellowship training and divisional education program. He obtained his medical degree in 1983 (cum laude) from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa and specialized from 1985 to 1989 in Pediatrics (FCP (SA)) through the College of Medicine in South Africa. He obtained a DTM&H (cum laude) in 1990. He trained in pediatric nephrology at CHOP and the University of Pennsylvania and is Board-certified in pediatrics and in pediatric nephrology. His clinical interests include the vasculititides hypertension, dialysis and transplantation. His research interests include use of novel immunosuppressive protocols in children post kidney transplant, medication adherence, hypertension and cardiovascular well-being in children with kidney transplants. In 2007 he was honored with the Master Clinician award from CHOP. The award was established to recognize clinical teaching excellence and commitment to medical education by outstanding faculty members from affiliated hospitals. The recipients are selected on the advice of a committee composed of faculty and students. 

 

 

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Medical Student Teaching by an Allied Health Professional

Sullivan

Dr. Kenneth Sullivan, clinical professor of psychology in psychiatry at the School of Medicine and associate chief of inpatient psychiatry at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center has been involved in medical student and resident education for over 25 years. Students describe him as a “phenomenon” who is a “fantastic teacher” and an “ideal role model.” Dr. Sullivan credits his inpatient psychiatry colleagues as providing daily examples of the epitome of academic psychiatry. This award recognizes outstanding teaching by allied health professionals (e.g. nurses, physicians assistants, emergency medical technicians). Recipients are selected on the advice of a committee composed of faculty and students.

 

The Scott Mackler Award for Excellence in Substance Abuse Teaching

Osterhoudt

Dr. Kevin Osterhoudt is an associate professor of pediatrics, an attending physician in the division of emergency medicine at CHOP, and serves as the medical director of The Poison Control Center. In addition to his clinical teaching at the bedside of young patients acutely harmed by substance abuse, Dr. Osterhoudt directs the professional and public education outreach programs of The Poison Control Center. A previous recipient of The Class of 1990 David Cornfeld Bedside Teaching Award at CHOP, Dr. Osterhoudt has authored over 100 articles and chapters, many providing insight into the medical approach to substance abuse and poisoning. As a member of the Education Committee of the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT), Dr. Osterhoudt has served as the director of major national ACMT scientific symposia. Of Dr. Osterhoudt, one trainee wrote, “He teaches always, and always makes you think.” Another stated, “I learned a lot from Kevin, not only about medicine, but about humanism.” This award was established by the Penn/VA Center for Studies of Addiction and the department of psychiatry. Dr. Mackler is known for his excellence in teaching medical students, residents, postdoctoral fellows, nurses and other Penn faculty in many different departments in the area of substance abuse.

 


The Special Dean’s Award

Sadoff

Dr. Robert L. Sadoff, is  a clinical professor of psychiatry and directs the Center for Studies in Social-Legal Psychiatry at the School of Medicine. He has developed a new initiative in forensic psychiatry, including a formal training program for residents and fellows in this growing subspecialty of psychiatry. Dr. Sadoff is the recipient of many of the national and international awards in his field, including the prestigious Isaac Ray Award that he received in 2006. In addition, he has received the International Philippe Pinel Award from the International Academy of Law and Mental Health (1995) and the Manfred Guttmacher Award for the best publication of 1992 in forensic psychiatry. He is also the recipient of the Nathaniel Winkelman Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Psychiatry (1988), the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Philadelphia Psychiatric Society (1996), and the Earl Bond Award for Outstanding Teaching at Penn, Department of Psychiatry (1979) and the Golden AAPL Award (1996). He is currently establishing the Center for Forensic Studies at Penn, to include the School of Medicine, the Law School, the department of biomedical ethics, the School of Nursing and the School of Social Policy and Practice. The Center will serve in the training of the forensic fellows. He has been teaching here since 1972. The award honors unique contributions to medical education by faculty members, particularly in the development of new and innovative educational programs.

 

Medical Student Government Awards

MSG Basic Science Teaching Award

Brass

Dr. Skip Brass is a professor of medicine, pharmacology and pathology, and associate dean and director of the Combined Degree and Physician Scholars Programs. His research interests lie in the fields of hemostasis and vascular biology. He has trained numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in his lab, and is a member of graduate groups in pharmacological sciences, biochemistry & molecular biophysics and cell & molecular biology. He is active in graduate and medical education in a number of ways, including co-directing Case Studies in Translational Research, a course specially designed for second-year MD-PhD students. In addition, he serves as an attending physician, course director for the hemostasis portions of Module II, an Advisory Dean for the combined degree students and as a member of the advisory committee for Biomedical Graduate Studies. In 2001, Dr. Brass won the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching from Penn (Almanac April 17, 2001). Dr. Brass also received teaching awards voted by the students of the School of Medicine in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2002.

 

MSG Clinical Teaching Award

Faust

Dr. Tom Faust is an associate professor of clinical medicine in the School of Medicine. He received an MD from the University of Tennessee, a master of bioethics (MBE) from Penn, and a BA from Vanderbilt University. He reorganized and significantly improved the pathophysiology course and Residency Scholar Program in Gastroenterology, which he now directs, impressing colleagues and students alike with his energy and enthusiasm for teaching. Several mention that his teaching encompasses the entire hospital environment, including fellows, residents, students, nurses, nurse practitioners, and medical assistants. Despite his knowledge and expertise, he comes across as “humble and easy to approach” in his devotion to students and patients. Dr. Faust is also the recipient of a Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence by Non-Standing Faculty (Almanac April 15, 2008).

 

Related: School of Arts & Sciences 2008 Teaching Awards

 

Almanac - April 22, 2008, Volume 54, No. 30